Firearm training safety device

ABSTRACT

A firearm training safety device includes a cartridge loaded into the firearm, a rod to fit in the barrel of the firearm, a releasable fastening element which fastens the first end of the rod to the cartridge, and a colored safety indicator at the second end of the rod. The cartridge can be loaded into the firearm, and the rod can be inserted into the barrel and fastened to the cartridge, so that the firearm is rendered inoperable and the safety indicator extends from the barrel. The fastening element can be a threaded tunnel and funnel contained within the cartridge, and a threaded stud at the end of the rod.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/036,721, filed Mar. 14, 2008.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to firearms and, more specifically, to a firearm training safety device.

Firearms can be dangerous when used in training. If a firearm is not somehow disabled and rendered inoperable, training users of the firearm might load a live round and make the weapon ready to fire, which could lead to an accident. Further, during training, it is desirable to quickly and easily identify which firearms are disabled, so as to easily distinguish disabled firearms from weapons that might be made ready to fire. It would also be desirable to disable and re-enable firearms quickly and easily, so as to avoid the need to disassemble the weapon, and so that a user could use his or her own personal weapon for training.

As can be seen, there is a need for an apparatus to render a firearm inoperable and identify that the weapon can be used safely for training purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a device utilizing a firearm having a barrel includes: a cartridge adapted to be loaded into the firearm; a rod adapted to fit in the barrel of the firearm, the rod having first and second ends; a releasable fastening element which fastens the first end of the rod to the cartridge; and a safety indicator at the second end of the rod; wherein the cartridge can be loaded into the firearm, and the rod can be inserted into the barrel and fastened to the cartridge, so that the firearm is rendered inoperable and the safety indicator extends from the barrel.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of selectably changing a firearm having a barrel from an operable mode into an inoperable mode includes: loading a cartridge into the firearm, the cartridge having a first fastening element; inserting a first end of a rod into the barrel, the rod having a second fastening element at the first end and a safety indicator at a second end; and attaching the first fastening element and the second fastening element together, so that the firearm is rendered inoperable and the safety indicator extends from the end of the barrel.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a cutaway of a firearm with an embodiment of the present invention installed;

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 depicts a side view of an embodiment of the present invention including dimensions for a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson® weapon;

FIG. 4 depicts an oblique view of the embodiment of FIG. 2 with end piece installed; and

FIG. 5 depicts an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. However, any single inventive feature may not address any of the problems discussed above or may only address one of the problems discussed above. Further, one or more of the problems discussed above may not be fully addressed by any of the features described below.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides a weapon cartridge and rod to render a firearm inoperable and identify that the weapon can be used safely for training purposes.

Embodiments of the present invention may lock the action of a pistol, rifle or shotgun so that the action cannot operate, while displaying a colored plug on the end of the barrel. This could allow an individual to use his or her personal weapon while training. The weapon does not have to be disassembled for the invention to be installed.

As depicted in FIG. 1, an embodiment of the training device 10 may include a cartridge shaped piece 12 with a threaded tunnel 14 in place of a bullet, which is placed in the firearm in the same fashion as a loaded live round. A threaded matching rod 18 of the length of the weapon's barrel 28 with a colored plug 24 on the end may then be inserted into the barrel 28 and screwed tightly to the cartridge 12. This may cause the action of the weapon to become inoperative, and display the colored plug on the end of the barrel 28 making it easily recognizable by all parties as being in training mode. The tunnel 14 and threaded matching rod 18 may form a releasable fastening element, so that the device can be transitioned back and forth between an operable mode, when the device is not installed, and an inoperable mode, when the device is installed.

As depicted in FIG. 2, an embodiment of the present invention 10 may include a cartridge 12 and a rod 18. The cartridge 12, instead of a bullet, may have a threaded tunnel 14 and a funnel 16. The rod 18 may have a threaded stud 20 to mate with the tunnel 14. The cartridge 12 may be loaded into the weapon not unlike a normal cartridge or a live round. The rod 18 may be then inserted into the barrel 28 and threaded tightly onto the cartridge 12. The funnel 16 may help guide the stud 20 into the tunnel 14 so that the stud 20 and tunnel 14 can mate together. The rod 18 may have a small enough diameter to fit in the barrel 28, and is at least the length of the barrel 28 so that the end piece 24 can attach to the rod 18, at or near the end of the barrel 28. The action of the firearm may then becomes inoperable and cannot be opened until the rod 18 is unscrewed from the cartridge 12. A second stud 22 may be attached to the end of the rod 18 opposite from the cartridge 12, and the end piece 24 may be screwed onto or otherwise attached to the second stud 22 to act as a safety indicator. The second stud 22 and end piece 24 may form a second fastening element.

As depicted in FIG. 3, various dimensions of the present invention can be specified. The dimensions in FIG. 3 are for an embodiment of the invention utilizing a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson® weapon.

To make an embodiment of the invention, the cartridge could be cast out of hard plastic, metal, or other material as well. It would be possible in mass production to cast or machine a cartridge for a specific caliber or type of weapon from a resin, hard plastic, or metal. The end piece could be approximately ¼″ to ½″ in length, brightly colored, and slightly greater in diameter than the caliber of the weapon (which would match the diameter of the barrel).

Another embodiment of the invention could include a bushing, made of nylon or other material, which may be inserted and epoxied or otherwise fitted snugly into a spent cartridge. As depicted in FIG. 4, this could be accomplished with an insert 26 that meets the dimensions required to accommodate the funnel, which has a diameter that fits within the cartridge, but which still fits within the cartridge. As depicted In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the funnel 16 may help guide the threaded stud 20 to mate with the tunnel 14. The end piece 24 can be attached directly to the rod 18.

As depicted in FIG. 5, an alternate embodiment of the invention 30 could include the funnel 32 and threaded tunnel 34 on the rod 36, and the cartridge 38 could contain the threaded stud 40 or post where the bullet would normally extend from the cartridge. The stud may protrude from the cartridge a sufficient length to accept the threaded rod.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

1. A device comprising: a cartridge fitted into a firearm; a rod adapted to fit in the barrel of the firearm, the rod having first and second ends; a releasable fastening element which fastens the first end of the rod to the cartridge; and a safety indicator at the second end of the rod; wherein the cartridge can be loaded into the firearm, and the rod can be inserted into the barrel and fastened to the cartridge, so that the firearm is rendered inoperable and the safety indicator extends from the barrel.
 2. The device of claim 1 further comprising: a second fastening element which fastens the safety indicator to the second end of the rod.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the safety indicator is larger than the interior of the barrel, so that, when the device is installed, the action of the firearm cannot be opened.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the releasable fastening element comprises: a threaded tunnel, contained within the cartridge; and a threaded stud, fixed to the rod, and adapted to mate with the threaded tunnel.
 5. The device of claim 4 further comprising: a funnel, contained within the cartridge, which helps guide the threaded stud to mate with the threaded tunnel.
 6. The device of claim 1 wherein the releasable fastening element comprises: a threaded tunnel, fixed to the rod; and a threaded stud, extending from the end of the cartridge, and adapted to mate with the threaded tunnel.
 7. The device of claim 6 further comprising: a funnel, fixed near the first end of the rod, which helps guide the threaded stud to mate with the threaded tunnel.
 8. The device of claim 1 wherein the releasable fastening element comprises: a bushing adapted to fit within the cartridge, the bushing having a threaded tunnel and a funnel; and a threaded stud, fixed to the rod, the stud being guided by the funnel to mate with the threaded tunnel.
 9. A device for transitioning a firearm between an operable mode and an inoperable mode, the device comprising: a cartridge fitted into a firearm; a rod adapted to fit in the barrel of the firearm, the rod having first and second ends; a releasable fastening element which fastens the first end of the rod to the cartridge; and a safety indicator at the second end of the rod; wherein the cartridge can be loaded into the firearm and the rod inserted into the barrel and fastened to the cartridge, so as to transition the firearm from an operable mode into an inoperable mode.
 10. The device of claim 9, the safety indicator further comprising: a colored plug near the end of the barrel to indicate that the firearm is in an inoperable mode.
 11. The device of claim 9 wherein the releasable fastening element comprises: a threaded tunnel, contained within the cartridge; and a threaded stud, fixed to the rod, and adapted to mate with the threaded tunnel.
 12. A method of selectably changing a firearm having a barrel from an operable mode into an inoperable mode, the method comprising: loading a cartridge into the firearm, the cartridge having a first fastening element; inserting a first end of a rod into the barrel, the rod having a second fastening element at the first end and a safety indicator at a second end; and attaching the first fastening element and the second fastening element together, so that the firearm is rendered inoperable and the safety indicator extends from the end of the barrel.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: selectably changing the firearm between the operable mode and the inoperable mode without disassembling the firearm.
 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: providing a funnel to help guide the second fastening element to the first fastening element.
 15. The method of claim 12 wherein the first fastening element is a threaded tunnel and a funnel contained within the cartridge, the second fastening element is a threaded stud fixed to the first end of the rod, and the funnel helps guide the second fastening element to the first fastening element.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: inserting a bushing into the cartridge, the bushing containing the threaded tunnel and the funnel. 